Born in the vibrant city of Singapore with a unique Eurasian blend of Portuguese and Chinese heritage, my journey has taken me from the bustling streets of Singapore to the serene and open landscapes of Sweden. My educational pursuits in Singapore culminated at tertiary level with two separate Master degrees, after which I embarked on a new adventure in 2002, moving to Sweden. In Sweden, I pursued with deep interest, the knowledge field of applied linguistics, particularly corpus linguistics research methods, earning a doctoral degree from one of northern Europe’s largest universities, the University of Gothenburg. I currently work as Project Manager, focusing on EU and international projects, at RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, at the Division of Bioeconomy and Health, Department of Agriculture and Food. My office is located in Mölndal municipality. Mölndal, known also as the Valley of Mills, is located about ten minutes by bus ride from the city center of Gothenburg to the south. If you’re ever traveling south from Gothenburg to Malmö, whether by train or car, you will likely come by Mölndal municipality. In these pages at cmariec.com, you’ll find my lifestyle musings on culinary and travel adventures from Singapore to Sweden, and from when I lived and worked the Arctic City of Tromsø (2018 to mid-2022). SINGAPORE | SWEDEN | NORTHERN NORWAY Life in Singapore Pursued all academic interests in Singapore, of which the post-graduate years were founded in two separate disciplines. In 2000, graduated with two separate Masters Degrees: (i) Master of Science in Information Studies at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore (ii) Master of Arts in the English Language at the National University of Singapore (NUS). In 1999, represented the Republic of Singapore at the Miss Universe Pageant in Trinidad and Tobago. With this came a variety of film, educational TV, media, and ambassadorial work for the Singapore Tourism Board. Life in Sweden In 2002, moved from Singapore to Sweden in order to pursue a PhD in Gothenburg, where a number of international corporate head offices were located that all had a substantial business presence in Singapore and also Asia in general. In 2009, graduated with a PhD in applied critical linguistics from the faculty of humanities at the University of Gothenburg, with a cross-disciplinary thesis entitled, Swedish management in Singapore: a discourse analysis study, looking particularly into the concepts of assimilation, integration and hierarchy, at top management levels of Swedish-Asian corporations in Singapore. 2013, as research fellow at the Centre for International Business Studies (CIBS), School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, researching the future implications of increasing Asian-Swedish cooperation within the field of international business. The project is entitled Gothenburg in Asia, Asia in Gothenburg, funded by the Anna Ahrenberg Foundation. The project is aligned with the 400 years anniversary of the city of Gothenburg in 2021, and falls under the broad category of Kunskap Göteborg 2021 initiated by city representatives of Gothenburg, Göteborg & Co, University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology. 2015, was granted the Flexit post-doctoral scholarship by Bank of Sweden Tercentennary Foundation (Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, RJ) for a three year project together with the Swedish-Swiss multinational enterprise ABB. From 2015-17, the research will take place at ABB Corporate Research Sweden HQ in Västerås, and at CIBS during 2017-18. The research focus of the project is how new technologies are perceived and accepted by users and customers, using linguistic methods of data analysis. More information can be found at RJ’s website, at Riksbankens Jubileumsfond (RJ) Felxit 2015. Life in Northern Norway (2018-2022) 2018, late summer. I acquired new work as Market Scientist at Nofima. Having moved to the county of Troms in August, I’m currently enjoying myself, exploring the island city of Tromsø. From the 1900s, this city became known as Paris of the North due to how the people of Tromsø were exceptionally stylish and sophisticated in contrast to the fishing village preconception that many might have of a city located in the Arctic Circle. In my years in Sweden, I have known Sweden to be called the land of the midnight sun. During the long summer mights, it was beautiful to sit and watch the sun’s languid pendulation between east and west, touching the horizon out at sea before going up again. Northern Norway takes this languid pendulation of the sun to the extreme. It is not only known as the land of the midnight sun, but it is also the land of polar nights and the northern lights. This is my new adventure. And in these lifestyle blog pages, you’ll find my personal thoughts, insights and musings. Cheryl Marie Cordeiro | PhD MSc MA ACADEMIC REFLECTIONS | CV LIFESTYLE BLOG

A Tradition of Taste and Trade: The Alkmaar Cheese Market Experience

At the Alkmaar Weigh House. The Waag building is a National monument / Rijksmonument listed building on the Waagplein in Alkmaar in the Netherlands. The Cheese Museum, Alkmaar, is also lcoated in this building.
Text & Photo © CM Cordeiro & , JE Nilsson 2023

Introduction

The Netherlands, known for its windmills, tulips, and canals, also boasts a vibrant cheese culture that dates back centuries. This blog post is a personal journey through the history, taste, and culture of Dutch cheese, with a special focus on the city of Alkmaar, the heart of the Dutch cheese industry located in Northern Holland.

A Tradition Rooted in History

The story of Dutch cheese is a tale that dates back to the Middle Ages. It’s a narrative deeply rooted in the country’s history and traditions, and it’s impossible to tell without mentioning the Dutch East India Company, Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie or VOC for short. Established in the early 17th century, the Dutch East India Company was a major player in the global spice trade. Its ships sailed to the farthest corners of the world, bringing back a variety of spices that would eventually find their way into Dutch cheese. The integration of these exotic flavors into local produce is a testament to the Dutch’s innovative spirit and their openness to the world. It’s a reflection of their willingness to experiment and adapt, to take something familiar and make it new and exciting. This spirit of innovation is still evident in the Dutch cheese industry today, with cheese makers continually experimenting with new flavors and techniques.

Continue reading “A Tradition of Taste and Trade: The Alkmaar Cheese Market Experience”

Where day meets night: Experiencing midsummer along the Swedish west coast

Swedish west coast midsummer celebrations at Strysö Sweden 2023
Text & Photo © CM Cordeiro & , JE Nilsson 2023

The sun casting long shadows as it flirts with the horizon, the laughter of friends and family echoing through the air, the taste of traditional Swedish food (mostly herring), and the feeling of community and love permeating the celebration. This is Midsummer on the Swedish west coast – a celebration of life, love, and the magic of the longest day of the year.

I love the longer days of summer that on midsummer’s eve, you can witness the sun teasing the horizon, refusing to fully set. It’s been just about two decades that I’ve now lived in Sweden, and I’m still enchanted by midsummer in Sweden. This captivating time, when daylight stretches into the night, is a celebration deeply rooted in Swedish culture, the celebrations of which are larger than our National Day. And where best to witness and participate in the unfolding of midsummer activities to its zenith? Why, along the scenic west coast of Sweden, of course!

Continue reading “Where day meets night: Experiencing midsummer along the Swedish west coast”

Grilled duck breasts with Peking Duck marinade: A Scandinavian summer grilling adventure

Evening grill at Strysö Sweden 2023
Text & Photo © CM Cordeiro & , JE Nilsson 2023

Even during the cooler Nordic summers when temperatures occasionally dip to 5°C, the lure of the grill remains irresistible. With the lingering twilight offering extended hours of daylight, every moment is an opportunity to ignite the grill and dive into a world of tantalizing tastes. Recently, we embarked on a delectable culinary expedition, blending four distinct recipes to create a sumptuous grilled duck breast dish with a Peking Duck marinade.

Continue reading “Grilled duck breasts with Peking Duck marinade: A Scandinavian summer grilling adventure”

A spring madeleine de Proust with Scottish shortbread

An Easter bake of shortbread biscuit topped with vanilla custard and blueberries.
Text & Photo © CM Cordeiro & , JE Nilsson 2023

My mother used to love Scottish shortbread when she was in her teens and early twenties, and it is still a convenient off-the-shelf item that can be bought in almost any grocery store in Singapore today. Her love for shortbread biscuits meant that I had plenty of them growing up, and I grew to love them for their rich flavor and crumbly texture. I would often eat them on their own, even if there was tea served alongside.

Continue reading “A spring madeleine de Proust with Scottish shortbread”

Specialty coffee and Beijing’s hutongs: A cultural fusion of East and West in China, 2023

V7 Coffee, serving fantastic specialty coffee in Haidian district, Beijing, China.
Text & Photo © CM Cordeiro, JE Nilsson & E Sindhöj 2023

Having had the privilege of visiting Beijing on numerous occasions, I remain drawn to the Forbidden City, also known as the Palace Museum, despite the staggering modernization that has transformed this great city. The Palace’s imposing gates and striking red pavilions situated at the heart of Beijing never fail to impress me. Equally fascinating to me is the network of narrow streets and low houses surrounding the Forbidden City, known as “Hutongs.” Once the living quarters of those who worked in the palace, some Hutongs have been converted into commercial areas, while others remain residential neighborhoods.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties these quarters served as a mental relief to the even the highest ranked individuals inside the Forbidden City. Some eunuchs played a role in facilitating visits by imperial court members even to pleasure houses outside of the Forbidden City. These illicit visits were seen as a way for court members to escape the rigid protocols and constraints of palace life.

Even the Emperor Guangxu (1875-1908) sought help for his medical problems from those among the Hutongs that practiced traditional Chinese medicine towards the end of the Qing dynasty. It is said that his great-aunt, the Empress Dowager Cixi, repeatedly tried to poison him due to irrevocable differences in their ideas about the future of China. In 1908 they eventually both died. The Guangxu emperor one day before Cixi, poisoned by arsenic.

With this in mind I set out to visit this maze of winding small roads and gray buildings in the area around the Forbidden City in late February 2023.

Continue reading “Specialty coffee and Beijing’s hutongs: A cultural fusion of East and West in China, 2023”

Beijing, where tradition meets innovation

One of my favourite city sights of Beijing, China, the CCTV Headquaters. Located in the Beijing Central Business District, this stunning 51 storied skysraper on East Third Ring Road was awarded the 2013 Best Tall Building Worldwide from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
Text & Photo © CM Cordeiro & E Sindhöj 2023

My last visit to China was in 2019, to the cities of Shanghai, and Chengdu. Shanghai, located on the eastern coast of China, is the country’s largest city and a global financial hub and easily one of my favourite cities in China to visit. The city has a modern, cosmopolitan vibe, with glass walled skyscrapers, luxury shopping malls, and a trendy nightlife. Evening walks along the Bund and day time walks around the French Concession, offer glimpses into the city’s colonial past. Chengdu, located in southwest China, is memorable for its more relaxed city vibes and lifestyle, spicy cuisine, and adorable giant pandas. I have written about dining at its many traditional tea houses, meandering through its parks, and contemplating the symbolic architecture of its temples.

Continue reading “Beijing, where tradition meets innovation”

Tjolöholms Slott Julbord SE 2022

By the fireplace in the main hall of Tjolöholm Castle for this year’s Christmas table sitting, in Halland, Sweden 2022.
Text & Photo © CM Cordeiro & JE Nilsson 2022

Tjolöholm Slott, video compilation.

It began to thaw a little in the west coast of Sweden about a week before Christmas. But it’s always a pleasure to walk the expansive grounds of Tjolöholm Castle, witnessing the last gold rays of the sun dive below horizon.

Continue reading “Tjolöholms Slott Julbord SE 2022”

Vörtbröd Jul2022 Styrsö SE

The weekend bake, vörtbröd, at Styrsö Sweden, 2022
Text & Photo © CM Cordeiro & JE Nilsson 2022

Just out of the oven warm.

It’s been some years since we last baked our own Swedish Christmas vörtbröd. I love bread baking but I’ve often found this dough difficult to work with because of the delicate combination of sticky molasses and dark ale. There are variations to the recipe that can be found online, so it’s easy to tweak to make your own favourite version of vörtbröd.

Continue reading “Vörtbröd Jul2022 Styrsö SE”

Lussekatter AW2022 Styrsö SE

The weekend bake, lussekatter, revisiting our own a recipe from 2012 at Styrsö Sweden, 2022
Text & Photo © CM Cordeiro & JE Nilsson 2022

I saw the boundaries of festive periods, often indicated by the appearance of certain foods, dissolve when I recently walked into a grocery shop along the Swedish west coast, and found a luscious twin pack of semlor (a specific February treat), in mid-November. The appearance of a Shrove Tuesday food appearing just past All Saints took us by surprise, and it took us all of two seconds to grab that purchase. It seems the semla is the new Swedish preserved herring, soon to be eaten year round at all Swedish festivities, so we’ll roll with that.

Continue reading “Lussekatter AW2022 Styrsö SE”

Jul i Haga Göteborg SE 2022

The beginning of the festive winter season at Haga, Gothenburg, Sweden, 2022
Text & Photo © CM Cordeiro & JE Nilsson 2022

The plan was to head to the Design Christmas Market happening at the Culture Arena in Gothenburg, but as plans go these days, we found ourselves walking the nearby cobbled streets of the oldest quarters of the city, at Haga. We had a window of fair weather under a clear blue sky in the morning, which promised sunshine and crisp winter for the whole day.

Having lived in Tromsø for the past four years, with snow on the beach, I haven’t had the opportunity to walk these streets in a long while. So, I was totally happy to be peering through the various café windows. In the background was the soft murmur of crowds and the symphony of clunking boots on stone.

Continue reading “Jul i Haga Göteborg SE 2022”